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26
Hospital Accommodation.
(1) The Plaistow Fever Hospital (opened as two wards in
1896 and as to the computed Hospital designed by the late
Edwin T. Hall in 1901) now contains 210 beds, originally allocated
for the reception only of scarlet fever, diphtheria and
enteric fever cases, with 15 isolation beds for mixed or staff
cases. The variable incidence of these diseases in recent years
has enabled the Medical Superintendent to receive and treat
many other infectious cases as well as to admit special cases for
teaching purposes.
(2) Dagenham Smallpox Hospital, situate about 9 miles
from the Borough, occupies a site of 6½ acres, enclosed within
the Rookery farm of 119 acres, owned and cultivated by the
Council. It consists of permanent buildings, capable of accommodating
50 patients with the administrative staff required
for their care, together with temporary iron buildings sufficient
to treat 300 cases. The permanent buildings were opened in
1899, and the Hospital is a safeguard in epidemic periods of
smallpox to the greater part of London-over-the-Border, as by
agreement eleven other authorities contribute to the maintenance
of the Hospital in consideration of West Ham undertaking to
receive and treat all the smallpox patients sent to the Hospital
by those authorities, viz., Barking. East Ham, Romford Joint
Hospital Board, Ilford, Wanstead. Waltham Joint Hospital
Board, Brentwood, Billericay, Loughton, Epping Rural,
Epping Urban, Ongar Rural.
Under the Tuberculosis Scheme formulated after the
passing of the National Health Insurance Act, the Council were
permitted to use Dagenham Hospital as a Temporary Sanatorium,
but owing to an outbreak of smallpox at Easter, 1920.
the Hospital had to be promptly cleared of consumptive patients
and revert to its primary use, a costly and very inconvenient
undertaking, as only 30 smallpox cases were admitted. Fortunately
in 1922 the Council was enabled to enter into agreement
with the Orsett Joint Hospital Board whereby the latter
authority will admit sporadic cases of smallpox sent to their
Hospital by West Ham, thus enabling the Council to continue
using Dagenham Hospital for the reception of phthisical
sufferers until, owing to the increasing pressure on the
accommodation of the Orsett Hospital, the Ministry of Health
called upon the Council to re-open Dagenham Hospital for
smallpox cases.
Accommodation for 24 extra beds (making a total of 128)
is now being proceeded with, and these beds should be available
for tuberculosis cases in the early part of 1925.